WEDDING BLOG

An afternoon ceremony beneath San Francisco City Hall’s grand architecture, dinner overlooking the Bay Bridge, and a late-night party in lower Nob Hill. Gabrielle and Jordan planned their wedding around the places they loved, giving guests a chance to experience San Francisco as they knew it. Along the way came a few surprises, including misplaced wedding rings, an unexpected ice shot luge shaped like their dog, and an unplanned reception entrance that became one of Gabrielle’s favorite memories.

San Francisco had been part of their story since the beginning. After meeting at a wedding in 2021, they spent their first year long-distance before Jordan moved to join Gabrielle in the city. She had always pictured getting married at City Hall, though securing a date was, as she put it, comparable to getting Coachella tickets. When April 18 became available, they immediately submitted a bid and secured it.

With a year to plan, Gabrielle used an eight-week break from graduate school to book vendors and organize most of the details herself, bringing in a day-of coordinator six weeks before the wedding. Jordan came up with the idea that guided the celebration: “A weekend in San Francisco”. The ceremony would be followed by a reception at Sens, a favorite Embarcadero restaurant with Bay Bridge views, indoor and outdoor spaces, and a dog-friendly policy. The night would end at Persona, a moody bar and nightclub in lower Nob Hill, where everyone could gather for drinks and dancing.

What We Love About This San Francisco City Hall Wedding:

• An all-black guest dress code
• White tulips, crossword puzzles, and lottery-ticket favors honoring Gabrielle’s grandparents
• An awkward all-denim family photo shoot with their dog, Sandie, turned into a guest book
• A surprise ice sculpture of Sandie that doubled as a shot luge
• A three-venue celebration ending with dancing at Persona in lower Nob Hill

Trivia Night, Chocolate Bars, and a Welcome to the City

The festivities began before the wedding day. Gabrielle and Jordan created a website with an itinerary and a guide to San Francisco, and guests checking into the hotel received personalized chocolate bars in the couple’s favorite flavor, along with postcards outlining the weekend’s events.

For the welcome celebration, they organized a trivia night inspired by the games they regularly played at neighborhood bars. Gabrielle’s mother wrote the questions, covering San Francisco history, sports, favorite television shows, and facts about the couple. Gabrielle and Jordan hosted, and the winning team received a prize.

The evening gave friends and family who hadn’t met an opportunity to get acquainted before the ceremony. Guests got competitive, much to the couple’s delight.

Featured Vendor:
Grace T. Photography

Private Balcony Vows Before Their San Francisco City Hall Ceremony

Gabrielle and Jordan began their wedding morning together, exchanging private vows over breakfast on their hotel balcony. They had a traditional first look planned for later, but sharing their vows before getting ready gave them time alone. A few hours afterward, they returned to the balcony for what they jokingly called Gabrielle’s “dress debut.” Junebug vendor Grace T. Photography documented the moment before they all traveled to City Hall together.

During the ceremony, their harpist performed Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am,” a song Gabrielle had long imagined walking down the aisle to. Amy had learned it specifically for the occasion. Gabrielle’s best friend of nearly 20 years, Allie, officiated. Just before walking down the aisle, Gabrielle caught her first glimpse of the ceremony setup, their guests, and Jordan waiting for her.

There was also a brief mishap with the rings. Because City Hall required everyone to pass through a metal detector, the couple had placed them in a separate bag. When the exchange came around, they realized the rings weren’t with them. The situation was quickly resolved, with plenty of laughter.

An Ivory Rue de Seine Gown, a Green Suit, and an All-Black Dress Code

Fashion was one of Gabrielle’s favorite parts of planning. She assembled different outfits for each event, including a white jumpsuit with rosettes, a Jackie O-inspired mini dress, and white feathered pajamas. Her accessories included elbow-length gloves, a pearl-covered purse, tulip earrings, and a beaded veil.

For the ceremony, she chose a textured ivory Rue de Seine gown that she found during an impromptu shopping trip while visiting her grandmother. After discovering that stark white wasn’t the most flattering shade on her, she gravitated toward warmer tones. She customized the dress with sewn-in straps and a hoop skirt for extra volume.

Jordan wore a dark green suit, while guests were asked to dress in black. The darker clothing stood out against City Hall’s cream and white interiors. With no formal wedding party, their siblings and other family members walking down the aisle followed the same dress code.

Gabrielle completed her look with a voluminous, textured updo and natural, dewy makeup. She kept her skincare routine familiar, adding a facial a couple of months before the wedding and a few additional treatments without making major changes.

Sculptural Florals and Family Traditions in the Wedding Details

Gabrielle envisioned rich, moody colors and floral arrangements with unusual shapes and textures. She worked with Ampersand, giving the floral team creative freedom after sharing her mood board. The arrangements complemented each venue’s existing architecture and interiors.

Her own bouquet was made entirely of white tulips, her late grandfather’s favorite flower. His memory appeared elsewhere during the reception, too. Guests could work on crossword puzzles during cocktail hour, inspired by her grandparents’ habit of completing the Los Angeles Times crossword together each morning. At the end of the night, everyone received lottery scratchers, another tradition from Gabrielle’s grandfather, who used to give them to his grandchildren at Christmas.

The couple’s shared sense of humor also appeared in the seating arrangements. As avid Bravo fans, they named each table after a different Bravo television show, then assigned guests according to which show’s personality best suited them. Signature cocktails were named after restaurants and places familiar to their friends.

Perhaps the funniest detail was the guest book. On Valentine’s Day, Gabrielle, Jordan, and Sandie had posed for an intentionally awkward, all-denim family photo session inspired by department-store portraits. They used the resulting photos to create a guest book that guests are still talking about.

An Unexpected Reception Entrance With Their Dog Sandie Stealing the Show

After the ceremony, a transportation issue meant Gabrielle and Jordan arrived at Sens separately, disrupting their planned entrance together. Gabrielle ended up walking into the reception with Sandie, who wore a little wedding dress and a pearl leash. It was an unplanned moment that Gabrielle found especially fitting, and Grace captured a photograph of the two making their entrance.

Sandie had another surprise waiting inside. Gabrielle and Jordan had ordered what they believed would be a decorative ice sculpture of their dog. When it arrived, they discovered it was actually a fully functioning ice luge for drinks and shots. The sculpture quickly became one of the night’s most popular attractions.

The reception also included speeches from family members that brought the couple and many guests to tears. Gabrielle still watches recordings of those speeches almost weekly. The restaurant team kept dinner and drinks running smoothly, even preparing food to take back to the hotel, while DJ Teddy managed the music and energy of the evening.

The couple had decided against hiring a videographer, instead purchasing a camcorder for guests to pass around. Watching the footage afterward gave them a look at conversations, dancing, and smaller moments they hadn’t witnessed themselves.

After dinner, the celebration continued downstairs at Persona, where guests could dance, have drinks, or settle into one of the lounge areas.

Their Advice: Plan a Wedding You Would Actually Enjoy

For Gabrielle and Jordan, the best planning decisions came from their shared interests and the places and people already part of their lives. Their photographer was even someone whose work Gabrielle had unknowingly saved on Instagram before getting engaged. When she rediscovered the screenshot after booking Grace, she realized she’d chosen the same photographer.

Their San Francisco City Hall wedding also reinforced the importance of having people they could depend on. When unexpected issues arose, Gabrielle’s mother, sisters, cousins, and Allie helped handle them so the couple could enjoy the day.

Their advice to other couples is straightforward: “Have fun and do it together, pull from your own strengths and combine them to plan a day that you would actually enjoy. Remember to be true to yourself and don’t cave to the pressures of others.”

And when it comes to assembling a vendor team, Gabrielle adds, “Your vendors can really make or break it, so choose wisely and trust them once you do!”